The Los Angeles Lakers have bad news after their impressive climb to the second seed in the Western Conference.

The Lakers announced on Monday, March 3, that Luka Dončić is questionable to play on Tuesday, March 4, against the New Orleans Pelicans on the road with right knee contusion.

Dončić is fresh off averaging 30 points on their twin wins over their crosstown rivals Los Angeles Clippers on the weekend that pushed the Lakers (38-21) past the Denver Nuggets (39-22) for the second seed in the West.

Dončić suffered the injury after bumping knees with Clippers guard Kris Dunn during the first quarter of their latest win — a 108-102 against the Clippers on Sunday, March 2. But he came back to lead the team in scoring with 29 points and tied LeBron James in leading the team in assists with nine.

Dončić tried to allay concerns after the win.

“It was on the fall, I think,” Dončić told reporters about the knee contusion. “Just a little tight. But then I got kneed in the knee. Third straight game in the same spot, so kind of struggle on that right leg. But I’m good.”

Constant hits and wear and tear may lead to a more serious knee injury.

Sunday’s win was Dončić’s eighth game with the Lakers since the shocking trade and the calf injury which sidelined him since last Christmas.

Luka’s Inner Demon Comes to Life

Lakers coach JJ Redick did not give any indication that there is something wrong with Dončić’s knee after another sensational performance from the 26-year-old Slovenian star.

Dončić was back to his old self, screaming and animated each time he made a big play.

“It just seemed like throughout the game, when we needed a bucket, when we needed him to draw a second, third defender at times, he was able to make the right play — minus the six turnovers. But he played fantastic tonight,” Redick told reporters. “And again, it was that verve and that spirit of competition. But also just something that is — maybe it’s an inner demon, I don’t know — but it comes out and it’s fantastic for us when it does.”

Lakers guard Gabe Vincent, who scored nine points starting in Reaves’ place, likened Dončić’s stellar playmaking and primal roar to an anime character.

“You’ve got a guy in your corner going Super Saiyan, for lack of a better word,” Vincent told reporters. “And making great plays, hitting shots, it’s a lot of fun. It can give us a lot of life and we’ve been creating a lot of energy on the defensive side. And when he gets hot offensively, we feel like we can’t be stopped in that regard.”

The Lakers outscored the Clippers by 19 points when Dončić was on the court. It was the second-highest plus-minus by a Lakers player in the win next to Dorian Finney-Smith‘s plus-24.

Lakers’ Other Injury Updates

Meanwhile, the 40-year-old James is listed as probable and is expected to play against the Pelicans, who have won four of their last five games.

Austin Reaves (right calf strain) is also questionable while Rui Hachimura (left patellar tendinopathy), Aaron Goodwin (right ankle sprain) and Maxi Kleber (right foot surgery) remain out.

The Lakers are putting their six-game winning streak on the line in New Orleans. They have won 16 of their last 19 games to vault from the play-in group to the top two in the West. But sustaining it with their health issues makes it harder with the third-toughest schedule remaining, per Tankathon.